Déjà Vu
by EXPZER
Summary: Rosalie is still living in the past, and unfortunately for Emmett, it's something he's been forced to get used to. Set during the time period of New Moon. Belongs to Steph Meyer.


Déjà Vu

Not a second after Edward and Bella had departed the Cullens' home had Rosalie removed herself from the vicinity. Esme shook her head sadly, disapprovingly. Carlisle opened his mouth to call after her, but he pressed his lips into a thin line once he realized it would've done no good. Like Alice and the others, Jasper, too, was aware of the sudden departure of Rosalie from the dining room table, but his gaze remained tentatively focused on his mate's troubled features. It wasn't necessary for Emmett to breathe, yet it somehow seemed appropriate to inhale and exhale once deeply - more out of mild frustration than anything - before he left the room to follow Rosalie.

Dawn was approaching quickly, and there was one place only he knew she'd be. Edward wasn't the only one who knew about the secret meadow.

Emmett came to a slow-paced walk - slower than what was usual for him at least - as he trudged into the heart of the meadow. He stopped several yards from Rosalie, crossing his arms over his broad, rock-hard chest. She stood at the bank of the stream, peering off in the direction of the rising sun through the trees. Her eyes were slitted in concentration, but her beautiful face remained relatively serene.

"You shouldn't encourage her. It's bad enough that the rest of them do," Rosalie said, so quickly that her lips hadn't appeared to being moving at all.

Emmett idly scratched the back of his neck and shrugged off her words.

"You know Bella. But, I don't see what's so bad about her becoming one of us. She's already family," he answered.

"She doesn't need to be one of us to be...family," the last word uttered from the female vampire's lips had sounded a bit tense and Emmett had noticed. She added: "Bella should stay human...Edward and I seem to be the only ones who wish that."

He sighed - again unnecessarily - and threw his strong arms up in the air. Rosalie pretended not to notice his reaction as her keen eyes watched the sun slowly rise from the comfort of the horizon. She had never truly appreciated the beauty and purity of dawn until after she had been turned, but now, as always, it was too late. It did not bring light to her eyes, it did not bring warmth to her icy skin, and yet she insisted on watching the sunrise whenever possible.

"At least Edward has a valid reason...how many times have we gone through this, Rose? How many times...?" he let his words trail off, and he gave a slight shake of his head, knowing where his mate's thoughts were straying to.

Rosalie was bitter towards Bella because Bella was human, and being human was something Rosalie herself often longed for. Since the day he had met her, he knew this. How ironic that Edward's Bella was so determined to lose her mortality and become one of them forever while his Rosalie yearned for the exact opposite. Sometimes it made Emmett wonder: had Rosalie had the choice, would she become human again and leave him and their family behind forever? The thought sickened him, wounded him.

"Do you regret your immortality so? All of this?" he whispered, turning half-way from her, his arms folding against his chest more tightly and his jaw tensing.

Rosalie's unflinching, intense gaze was on him now, and she pursed her full lips in consideration.

"Yes," she answered.

A half-second later, she was behind him. He declined his chin to the side in her general direction, but didn't glance back at her as she slipped her thin, stony arms under his and around his chest.

"And, no," Rosalie added, cooly, her cool lips pressed against his shoulder. "If I had remained human, I might've lived out my life as I should've...but not even the delicious prospect of life could compare to an eternity if I had never found you."

He closed his eyes, the corner of his mouth turning upward into a mirth-filled half-smile. For a few moments Emmett was silent, just enjoying the comfort of her arms around him, and knowing that she forever wanted to be with him as he wanted to be with her. He whirled about and took her face in his hands, gazing fondly into the depths of her golden eyes before kissing her deeply, meaningfully.

"I love you," he murmured.

"I know," she replied, returning his kiss with the same passionate authenticity.

It did not matter to Emmett that Rosalie never returned those three little words to him. All that mattered was that he knew she felt the same way about him, and that she always would.

The End.


End file.
